London trip - cheap food ideas

[AgileEagle]

Going to London for 5 days, staying at premier inn at Bank
Looking for cheap food ideas for family of 5, kids are not very adventurous eaters unfortunately. Thinking the food costs will mount up so any cheap ideas?
Any suggestions of must see sights also welcome

Wetherspoons, Nando’s. Pizza express (kids eat free).

Try a food hall where everyone can choose their own meal from one of the many different outlets but you can all eat together eg seven dials market

Leon has cheap, healthy fast food. Several branches around London. You’ll still need to budget a decent amount for food, even food markets will be at least £10+ for dishes. You may be better off picking up sandwiches in Tesco etc for lunch

Personally I wouldn't clarify Leon as cheap. It is very good though.

Tesco meal deal for lunch, go and eat it in a nice park and it doesn't feel like such a value option.

I think there's an Instagram page called cheap eats London or similar, might be worth a search. I remember seeing a pasta place that was about £6 per dish, all freshly made.

Greggs. Sorted.

You won't be short of finding places to eat in London but I think realistically you'll need to budget heavily for it. If the kids are fussy there are pizza huts that do their unlimited buffets. Might be worth filling up on those at lunchtime and having a snack in the room for evening. I would also find out if the room has a fridge. Take some things like pot noodles that you can prepare with the room kettle if you really want to save money.

We sometimes have a picnic . Go to a supermarket or a food market and pick up baguettes , ham , cheese , grapes , crisps and sit in a lovely park .

Would second getting nice bread and cheese, hummus etc. You'll be £100s if you eat out lunch and dinner.

Mind and make really good use of the premier inn breakfast so you only need snacks for lunch. We would pick up fruit and muffins from the breakfast to take out and about.

China town, there are very good and cheap tiny little noodle bars if you look carefully.

There’s a food market in the square in Covent Garden on Thursdays.

Either Beigel shop in Brick Lane.

In Borough Market look for Hobbs meat roast for meat sandwiches or the Ginger Pig for sausage rolls.

Round the back of the South Bank Centre on a Saturday is a good food market. I take visitors there because everyone wants something different. It's usually food trucks and stalls selling everything from burgers to falafel to more exotic fayre from Ethiopia and South America.

As pp have said, the Tesco meal deal is also an option. There's a Tesco on the corner of Trafalgar Square and if I'm in the area I eat on the TSq steps near the National Gallery to eat on a nice day (but beware of the pigeons).

For main meals eating out has become very expensive so either budget for that or stick to the chain restaurants previously mentioned.

Yes definitely. Also in china town on Newport court- cheap but ginormous takeaway bao buns from here:
Bao Bao on Newport Court
https://maps.app.goo.gl/3aUpMH3B3cqxdw71A
No particular reviews online but the whole street was full of tasty food. It was the pink one with these labels in the window

Churchyards are great for picnics!
Covent Garden church and st James Piccadilly are favourites!

There's plenty Sainsburys, Tesco and M&S around which are open long hours.
There's a Wetherspoons called The Crosse Keys on Gracechurch Street for a cheap dinner option.
As others have said, you will need to budget heavily for food.
The Skygarden is near where you are staying which is free and has great views of London (and beyond on a clear day). You do need to book in advance.

Watching.
DD is going to London for 5 days over Easter and her only food plans are Tesco meal deals and pastry shops!

We also did picnics for lunch as found everywhere (even fast food places) to be really expensive. Also buy multi pack of crackers or crisps in supermarkets to limit the need to buy snacks from food vans.

Paper plates plastic cutlery. Supermarket shopping. Cold cuts and antipasti like plates. Job done! Go in the evening and get yellow sticker items, even Waitrose does meal deals and yellow sticker evenings.

If you want to get creative, air hostesses who are in hotels all the time, have a pot to warm or cook food in, upside down firmly stabilised iron, tried and tested nifty little trick.

Will you be having breakfast at the hotel? (Not sure if P.I offer them?)

Are you okay with not so healthy options for a few days?

I'd be thinking supermarket pastries / fruit / yogurt for breakfast (or cereal or porridge pots you just add water to)

Lunch I'd be looking for picnic options. A few French sticks, cheese, ham - build your own sandwich kind of thing. Fruit / prepared salad on the side. A few bottles of water etc. Paper plates and cutlery are relatively cheap. This is quite weather dependent though.

Dinner I'd be looking as Nandos, Pizza Express etc. Look for anywhere with deals. Food halls will also be a good option - you're only 1 tube stop from Borough Market, not sure what time the food hall closes though? There are loads of food halls all over London. Granary Square has one at the weekend.

Have a fab trip. If you are coming next week weather looks fabulous!!

Bank to Borough Market is walkable, about 20 mins, so you can also save the tube fare

I'm not sure if this is out of date, but I've manged to feed myself in hospital canteens. They are often open to the public.

No idea on prices but there are free concerts an Tommies.

www.evelinalondon.nhs.uk/parents-and-visitors/your-stay/facilities.aspx

Do you shop at Tesco? You could exchange club card vouchers for a restaurant voucher

Giraffe is quite good value for non-adventurous eaters, and there’s one on the South Bank.